Stations of delight in the Peak District

Many people who like to go walking in the Peak District will drive there, but an upcoming guided walk by national park rangers will act as a reminder of the accessibility of the area by rail.

On September 23rd a trek called Over the Tops: Chinley to Edale takes place that links the railway stations of the two villages. Starting at Chinley Station at 10:30 BST, it lasts six hours and covers eight miles of moorland, with plenty of steep hills to climb and muddy pathways.

Naturally enough, the national park authority's guide advises bringing walking boots and waterproofs as well as a return train fare.

The route takes in South Head, Mounta Famine and Brown Knoll and those familiar with these hills will know just how well this tracks the line of the railway, as a lengthy tunnel runs under these hills. One clue to its opresence is the turret at the top of the ventilation shaft that can be seen from the plateau between Rushup Edge and Brown Knoll.

Edale Station is a popular destination for walkers who like to take the train. The line links Manchester with Sheffield and visitors from both sides of the Pennines may be seen getting off there at weekends equipped with their rucksacks, Ordnance Survey maps and hiking boots.

This line continues on through the Hope Valley and other stations walkers can make good use of include Hope itself - for the Castleton area, as well as Grindleford Station for the gritstone edges of the eastern Peak District.

It is not just the Hope Valley line that offers rail users excellent walking opportunities. The Manchester to Glossop line provides two starting points - one at Glossop, the other at Hadfield - for an ascent of Bleaklow. The latter also offers a chance to walk the Longendale Trail past the valley's reservoirs, joining the Pennine Way just north of Bleaklow.

Other lines include the route from Manchester to Buxton, with the latter surrounded on three sides by the national park. Disley Station on this route offers a short stroll across the national park boundary to Lyme Park.

For those catching the train to this station, there is also the chance to walk the 35-mile Gritstone Trail through Cheshire's part of the Peak District and finally on to Kidsgrove in Staffordshire.

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